He made it.

It took a couple of hours and with the early morning head-start, the train ride was long. his mind was now awake. Looking at the same building that set itself before the vast lands of trees and mountain terrain. Izuku sighed with the many thoughts going through his head.

This was his second hero internship and it wasn't his choice nor his expectation. Hopefully, he will pay back Mandalay in-full with this week of internship but he still couldn't get the idea that she was planning on staying at U.A. for the rest of the month.

Knocking on the door, was his first step. Waiting for the response was the second and to his surprise he did.

'Come around the back.'

A telepathic message entered his mind. It was clear who was speaking to him.

Mandalay.

With his nerves being shaken, things were a bit indifferent between the pro-hero and hero-in-training. Every since Kota's plea to stay with Izuku and the surprising condition which meant Sosaki was staying with both of the boys. The conversations between teen and adult were more professionally stricken as of late. Then again, that how it should be anyway.

Walking around the same building from the summer camp, he had steeled himself for whatever might happen in this internship. As much as he aspires heroes(which cannot be shaken in any form) the Pussycats leader had always in her own right gave Izuku a reason to be shaken.

Telepathy was one reason. Even though it can only be one-way(Izuku assumed) communication. It served a valuable purpose in rescues. A quirk strong in its own category.

Though that was not her only strong suit, during the raid, she fought and defeated one of the villains with her wits and tactical movements. At least that's what he heard from Tiger during one of those calls Kota would make.

Yet, there was still more unseen, Izuku made sure to learn the most he can during this weeks internship.

Seeing the outside tables where his classmates spent eating away in the evening after their quirk training brought more memories of a certain child.

Kota. Back then there was animosity for everyone who held a quirk or/and aspiring heroism. Now was a friend to all of class one-A, well most anyway.

To the child and teen, both enjoyed each other's company as the bond became something stronger than strangers. Izuku saw the water-quirk user as a little brother in a lot of cases. Being responsible as a guardian was more than just being a friend. The duty of spending time with someone younger than had many lessons learned. Patience was one of the strongest components to the responsibility. To hear Kota's thoughts and Izuku would speak his mind in response so long as it remains to a point where context is not rushed.

Honesty and trust compete as a rival to the previous component. Being up-front with the child about having faith in Izuku while feeling open to what the teen has to say.

That's where Izuku has messed up. Had he being more open to speaking about the issues that Katsuki and himself harbored, things wouldn't have to end in the way things had done. Maybe Kota would have just paid attention to Izuku's demand for the child's safety and left the drama alone. The punishment wouldn't be as severe or that night wouldn't be as chaotic.

Then again these are just some of the 'what ifs' Izuku had bombarded himself over the course of the past week. His steps met at an end as his presence met three more.

In front of him were the Pussycats only three of them at the moment.

Pussycat members Tiger, Pixie-Bob, and the leader Mandalay.

All of which greeted him with a casual smile and nods and it was repeated back to them by Izuku.

"Alright since you are here, how about we get you outfitted, we are already running behind schedule."

Shino suggested leaving the boy confused.

"I was late? But you said to be here in the morning but not specifically what time. I even took the bullet train here, and what schedule?"

To that Pixie-Bob grinned brightly.

"Mandalay meant that starting today you will follow the same schedule as you normally did during the summer break. So best get ready Kitten!"

"K-Kitten?"

"Yep! That's what we will be calling you! Now hurry up your outfit is waiting in the locker rooms!"

Izuku sweated a bit, he was not expecting to get ready so soon.

"Come on then. I will show you your new wears." Mandalay suggested as she gestured Izuku to follow suit.

It was indeed going to be an interesting internship.

A couple of minutes later...

"Is this really part of the internship?"

Deku asked filled with embarrassment and shock. Looking in the mirror he was wearing a hero costume identical to the iconic mountain-rescue team: Wild, Wild PussyCats. It consisted of the same cat gloves and cat earphones(Posing as feline ears) as the unique equipment to the team. Glancing at the mirror, Izuku saw himself in the light green hero costume. Fully aware of how embarrassed he was of cross-dressing it brought a giggle of the older woman next to him.

"Yes it is and doesn't be so embarrassed, Tiger was once in the same position as you are."

Mandalay, reassures the teenager while smirking in amusement. It was indeed amusing to see her nephew's assign guardian was finding the new outfit a bit...different. It got to a point where the young hero was attempting to feel less ashamed of himself.

"Stop feeling so shy. If you don't express confidence when we are out in public, some people will see you as prey."

Shino faked the seriousness of the matter which took advantage of Izuku's state of mind.

"Wait! Are you saying what I think you're saying?!"

Green as he may be, he was knowledgeable about the unfortunate circumstances of being a hero. When the growing popularity arises this brings more and more fans. In some cases, it brings the unwelcome kind of fans. Not villains or opposition that seek the thrill of facing their favorite hero in a peril situation of their favor. No, but the kind some consider...lewd.

Yes, the perverts of society. Sure they show infatuation but there was a line that is meant not to be crossed. Izuku was already running through the many possibilities if he did not get his act together within this week. He was sure to get a few, unwelcome people to greet him.

From the pro-heroes eyes, it was funny at first with the pale face that is Izuku. She was inwardly laughing at her intern. Sure, warning about the whole "perverts will come after as soon as you debut" was a lie. For her, this did not happen until she was in her fifth year of heroism. She had caught a guy trying to snap a photo of her and Pixie-Bob underneath their skirts. That end result was Tiger scaring the nasty guy to the point his face lost all color and fainted out of fright.

She saw Izuku started to nervously mutter about his more "skin" outfit. Shino didn't have to worry about this because Izuku was only spending a week with the Pussycats before him, Kouta, and herself head back to Yuuei.

"Relax, I was just having fun. Did you forget already that you're only here for a week?"

Mandalay reduces her laughing grin to a simple smile. She witnessed the teen reducing his fright to a more tame nervousness.

"R-Right. Also? Please don't tease like that again."

Not only Izuku pleaded for the next six days to be full of heroics and not him looking behind or beneath him but for a lean behavior from Mandalay.

Gulping at the suspenseful atmosphere,
waiting for Mandalay's response as the older individual turn straight into a slightly bigger smile. It was starting to grin a shade darker which Izuku tensed up at.

"No promises, this is your punishment after-all. Let's get going the others are waiting."

"R-Right!" Izuku nodded at Shino, the two made their way out of the changing room.

As the pair made way to the main office which housed the other two heroes of the mountain rescue team. Upon opening the door, both Pro-Hero Tiger and Pro-Heroine Pixie-Bob where looking at the few who came inside.

"Oh my god! You are so adorable! Such a cute little kitten you are!"

The overwhelming adoration from Pro-Heroine Pixie-Bob did cause Izuku to turn his facial skin from pale from fright earlier into a tomato face of embarrassment. The Pussycats member raced with the excitement of the feline uniform that was the hero teams dress code.

"T-Thanks. Pixie-Bob."

Izuku felt strong look that came from the other member of the Pussycats, Tiger. The man stood tall in the hero costume with his arms folded.

"Indeed quite adorable." His voice held serious nature in it. To that addition, Izuku caught the mood and just thanked for Tigers opinion.

Thud!

All three members of the Pussycats had looked back to the source. As if the door was moving slightly, it was until Izuku was the first to call out.

"Kota?"

The door opened to reveal a child just waking up as he rubs his eyes. "Maaugh." He yawned without noticing the presence of the adults and teen, not yet at least.

"Izuku? Izuku!" Doing a double-take, checking to see his eyes were not playing tricks on him. The black-haired child runs towards the green-haired teen.

Only to stop when he noticed the outfit.

"Oh! This is part of the agreement for interning Auntie?" Or rather punishment he would think.

Izuku was found this encounter a bit embarrassing considering he was in-fact cross-dressing. He noticed how Kota started to puff his cheeks as if holding someth~

"Hahaha!"

The adults were taken back a bit. None of them (except Shino)had scene Kota laugh like the child he is, much less expressed childish nature of emotions. Izuku on the other hand sighed but smiled that his little-brother figure found this amusing.

"Glad you find this funny," Izuku said a bit tiredly.

"Y-You, you! Pff-hahaha!" Kota couldn't even finish his sentence considering the sight he was seeing. To that response, Izuku sweatdropped.

Day One Morning Patrol...

The first morning hours were a bit rough. Considering the hard terrain which caused Izuku's feet to get adjusted too and the surroundings to take in as well as understand.

Back in summer camp, he would follow Tiger and the other enhancers to another spot of the forest to train. Now, he had to understand the routes and paths in the forest around the agency. Following the three members of the Pussycats as they hiked around the forest.

Izuku kept himself alert in case of any kind of scenario.

"Kitty." He heard Mandalay.

"Yes, Mandalay!"

"You're too tense. It won't help us patrolling if one of us is too alert."

"Gomen! I am... not use to these circumstances."

"It's alright, considering your abilities and experience, you were mostly trained in an urban environment."

"Hai!"

"Kitty. Relax your shoulders."

It was odd, the tension. Obviously noticeable to the other two members. Izuku attempted the best he could at relaxing himself but considering the change in environment, there was a lot of heavy memories. Considering his first arrival was not pretty. He and his entire class fought ground-mud(?) creatures from morning-near noon to afternoon/close to evening. Then there was the difficult training with Tiger in the camp for a few days. Finally the attack.

Izuku never felt so pressured and stressed. He may have protected Kota but he couldn't save Bakugo. One of his greatest failures in his life.

Even after the rescue, the emotional tension did not cease. When he was forced to fight Bakugo. There was a resemblance when Izuku fought that muscular villain. The scene back then was all too familiar.

"Wait. Do you see the smoke in the distance?"

Izuku heard Pixie-Bob questioned. He looked towards Tiger and Mandalay who nodded in response.

"Alright let's get going." Mandalay and the rest took off in a fast-paced race towards the distant smoke.

Shortly after...

The scene was a crashed vehicle that drove off the cliff side. Two passengers and one driver. A family of three. Child carried minor injuries, a scrap on the head and fractured hand. The mother had broken a few of her ribs and hip. Lastly, the Driver suffered head injuries as well as obtain a broken leg. He was severely bleeding.

It seemed that after the vehicle drove off, the SUV had turned over and rolled multiple times before coming into a collision with a nearby tree. Izuku (Kitty Deku), Tiger, and Pixie-Bob turned the vehicle to its correct position while Mandalay was using her telepathy to speak through the injured passengers and driver, in hopes of waking them up to ask them what had happened. Also contacting paramedics to the mountain region would take some time. So the hero team and intern stabilized the minor wounds with their own portable medkits. Considering the medical items each member carried there was enough wrapping cloth, a small bottle of alcohol(not for drinking purposes), and light tape for the cloth.

Once the paramedics did arrive and departed with the family. A fire truck and a tow truck was called to removed true vehicle from the forest. The risk of a forest fire or mild pollution affecting the forest was not something to be taken lightly.

With the help of Pixie-Bob and Tiger, Izuku managed to get the vehicle high enough without causing any more damage to the mountainside. The team made their rounds until it was noon before they reached back at the HQ.

"Alright Kitty, we will depart again in an hour. Use this time as you wish and be out here ready."

Izuku heard Shino spoke. His nodded and 'Hai' was all he could say. Originally he wanted to ask more about the Pussycats but then again, he had a whole week to do so.

Sighing with relief, he stretched out his thighs and calves. Unlike the summer camp were some of his trails were somewhat smooth and easy to pace through. There were some parts while he was patrolling along with the hero team, where he had to put more physical effort into his rounds. To be honest, keeping up with the Pussycats proved more physically demanding than he expected.

He was sure they had become used to the environment. The dense forest, the uneven ground level, darken shade from the trees, and even the temperature out here. To be exact, he didn't see an exact trail of which the Hero team was following aside from the mountainside roads, and that was just one. The four of them together traveled over hills and under depths of woods.

Yep, this was going to be the experience of the week.

The hour had passed, no sign of Kouta. Although Pixie-Bob came out to collect Izuku.

"Hey, kitty! Looks like your going with me during these rounds!"

Izuku felt confused, where were Tiger and Mandalay? Nevertheless, he asked. Pixie responded by saying that during the close to noon rounds, the team would split up into two groups. That way they cover more ground, although it would take some time for the group to form up in case of an emergency or incident with villains or lost/injured pedestrians.

To counter this measure, each outfit carries a tracker and the members I.E. the pros, be equipped with a watch to give the general direction of the members the second they sound a signaling alarm. It was only after Ragdolls retirement when they implemented this device and tech.

"So wait, right now my costume has a tracker? Where?"

Pixie-Bob winked playfully before placing her hands on Izuku's torso.

"The whole suit is the tracker! That way even if it gets really damaged, as long as it stays on a warm signature then the tracker is active. And it's smart on the signatures so that it knows it's a person's heat, not some other hot source!"

Enthusiastic as she was still seven at heart.

Izuku smiled with that appreciation of security. The precautions needed for this new development of the suits was likely expensive on the Pussycats emotionally.

He nodded at the understanding of the costumes qualities. "That makes things more reassuring. Thanks, Pixie-Bob." A genuine smile without a bit of wavering gratitude and faith in the adult's words. Indeed, Pixie-Bob was starting to get a little flattered...who was she kidding. Turning her body to face their route she took off walking.

"Let's get going, Kitty! We got trails to secure and rounds to go about!"

"Right!"

Over the next hour or more. The intern and pro did small talk about the surroundings nothing more, just keeping a lookout for anything out of the ordinary, luckily things were calm.

Right upon arriving, Pixie-Bob and Izuku were greeted by other two remaining members.

"How did things go on your end?" Mandalay asked. Pickle-Bob gave an 'OK' sign, meaning that nothing was wrong. Tiger nodded in understanding.

"Well alright then, let's eat lunch, then we will take an afternoon break before doing our last rounds before sundown."

The lunch period was quite even though Pixie-Bob was around. Izuku figures Mandalay would talk more with her co-heroes. Although that didn't happen. Over the course of the meal, Izuku figures maybe it was him, maybe with him being around the Heroes had to be cautious around me. Until Pixie-Bob and Tiger engaged with him in small talk. Meanwhile, Mandalay sat there eating her food while listening to the conversations.

Around the time to depart again for the last round. Tiger was assigned with Izuku.

As the males depart, so did Mandalay and Pixie-Bob.

The two adult women converse for the first time that day.

"Ya know, Kitten is quite a flatter."

Mandalay quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure it's not your hormones again?" To that Pixie laughed before waving her off that assumption.

"Quit it. I am not like that all the time! Plus he surprised me is all, to be young. Especially the genuine ones with good smiles and cute faces that I marked."

Mandalay rolled her eyes. "Why don't you take him as your mate anyway then?"

Pixie-Bob glanced at her partner. "What's going with lately? Ever since you sent Kouta over to Yuuei, you have been less friendly."

Mandalay have a half-glare-glance at the blonde woman. "It's Kitten isn't it?" Pixie asked.

The red-haired woman nodded. Shino never really told Pixie-Bob or Tiger about the incident between Izuku and his classmate. To her, it was better left unsaid. The night of the hearing for Izuku, she told her team that he will be interning with them for a week. That was all.

While she did mention that she talked to Kouta every time they had talked over the phone but that was it.

"I...listen, there was an incident that involved both him and Kota. There was a dispute between Izuku and his classmate. It was personal for them but things got out of hand. While Izuku was trying his best to dissolve it, but he got injured and Kota was unconscious with minor injuries."

The blonde listened intently as both of them walked through the woods.

"Now, that he's here. It makes me think. I don't know if I made the right decision giving him that responsibility when it should have been mine to deal with. Yet when I look at Kota, he is so happy. He doesn't carry that resentment towards quirks and heroes as he did before. He is more open and smiles a lot to others. All because he spends a month with the boy that became his hero."

"What's your deal again?"

Mandalay looked at the blonde a bit confused. "You said you weren't sure that Kitten shouldn't have the responsibility of looking after your nephew? Yet look at the outcome. Your nephew is safe and happy with himself. Maybe then, when you first sent him off, I am sure you were worried. But look at Kitten and Kota. The two have come far thanks to each other. I bet Kitten has learned the value of being someone's guardian, assigned or not. And Kouta! He managed to move past his anger and learned to finally be a kid again. In the year we spend time with Kota, Kit-Izuku finished the hard part of the job, in a month! In my books, Kitten is a good kid, hella reliable one at that."

Mandalay listened to a bit taken aback by her co-workers. Truthfully she was thankful towards Izuku. Yet there was something aching away at her. Maybe it was the fact she felt guilty for not doing better for her nephew, yet it was something more. She just couldn't put it.

"I know he's a good kid." Mandalay agreed.

"Then don't worry too much. The boy can handle his own! Just focus on Kota while you're here!" Pixie reassures.

With a defeated, yet contempt sighed; Mandalay continued her rounds long side her blonde friend. Maybe Pixie is right, then again who knows.